The Red Coat
by Ariamity
Summary: It was just a red coat. Mostly. But families have been built on stranger things. (Drabbly. Only M because T is 'minor' suggestive themes. Nothing explicit, it's just to be safe.)
1. Tony

The Red Coat

AN: this was mostly supposed to be drabblish. It got away from me in a few times as I wrote it in a couple hours while I have the flu. First fic, please don't hate on formatting issues, as I'm posting from my phone. Hate on the content, spelling or grammar issues though sure, I'd love to hear it. I tried my best to make sure that at least there's no spelling issues, but the words started swimming after a minute.

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Chapter 1

When Tony first saw the Red Trench coat, it was long past his bed time, and he almost missed it. Would have missed it, were it not for the fact that the coat was red like maraschino cherries, and that it glowed even in the dim floor lighting of the common rooms. It hangs in solitude on the deeply stained, oak Victorian coat rack Tony had brought over from the manor. His mother had always said that where you hang your coat up, was Home.

It was something that stuck with him.

For a long minute, he stood staring at the coat, sipping from the coffee he'd come down to the commons to retrieve. He'd been out of both his favorite creamers in his lab fridge, it was a tragedy. JARVIS had already ordered more.

He leaves wordlessly.

But when he is sure he's alone, a smile stretches his face wide, happy that at least one person doesn't treat his tower like a mere building.


	2. Steve

Chapter 2.

When Steve first sees the red trench coat, he's tired, exhausted really, and just stepping out of the elevator after a solo mission. He's visiting the twoer for the first time in months at Natasha's insistence, something about hurting Tony's nonexistent feelings. So here he is, and the first thing he sees is this coat. He's almost blinded by just how bright it is. It's a candy apple red, so brilliant that it's reflective silken threads color the plain soft white walls around it. His fingers itch, his palms twitch, and for the first time in a long while, Steve finds himself with ample inspiration. And he really wants to paint this coat. Oils most likely, for those were the only medium that could do justice to the rich hue of the coat. He muses momentarily at the pinks and violets that bounce off the red cloth, fingertips tingling.

It hangs alone on the antique and well made wooden coat rack. Steve shrugs tiredly, and soon, a worn, though well maintained brown leather bomber can be seen hanging opposite the red coat.

He paints the coat, and much, much later, he paints the owner of the coat. In it. Out of it. As her only clothing aside from seamed stockings, towering heels and lacy panties. That one he keeps with him at all times. When she finds it in his back pocket, she presses her lips to the paper, leaving a bright red kiss on the back of the page.


	3. Pepper

Pepper easily notes the candy apple red trench coat the minute she comes down from the penthouse suite. It's just there, as it has been for months. Always hanging stubbornly in place, loud and obnoxious as an inanimate object can be. The red coat has it own spot, by now, forevermore claiming the inward pointing middle tier hook on Tony's gaudy victorian era coat rack. It's rare that she comes down to see its owner is actually wearing it. But then, she's also not too often in the tower for weeks on end, what with running all of Stark Industries. Still, she takes a mental note to make sure that the owner is getting enough down time.

It's a garish thing, eyewatering bright, and yet somehow pretty at the same time. Lord knew she could never pull off that color. It took a special kind of confidence to wear that blaring a shade of red. She picks up her soft cream, wool and angora trench coat off the hanger, and asks JARVIS to collaborate with her assistant to make sure that her schedule stays on time. As always, he's happy to help and already on the ball.


	4. Steve 2

After a good eight months into his search with Sam, Steve finally decides to regroup at the Tower.

He's losing hope.

He tries not to let Sam see it, though he's sure at least Natasha knows, as she knows everything else. As he steps off the elevator, he's already shrugging his bomber off when he sees it. There, hanging opposite the red coat, is a brand new military issue navy blue, wool, double breasted men's peacoat. His own name is written on a homemade Christmas themed tag hanging from the lapel, as are the initials JBB.

Sam doesn't understand why he loses his footing, doesn't know what made him stumble into the wall, and fall to the ground.

Steve stares at the coat wordlessly for a long while, and he knows, _knows_ , it's not the same. It's not _His_ coat. But damn if Steve doesn't appreciate the gesture. _Gift_ , he corrects himself, feeling slightly ashamed at having not noticed the passing of the holiday, and guilty that Sam had chosen to follow him rather than celebrate with his family.

He stands and hangs up his bomber right next to the navy coat, noting idly that there is still a price tag in the collar of the coat. Giving him the option to take it back, if he wants to. Steve rips it out, because it **won't** be returning.

And then he goes into the kitchen with a renewed determination that Bucky will come home. No one will _ever_ know how close he'd come to calling it quits. He'd have to get someone flowers, chocolates, whatever the fuck they wanted, for helping him in his time of need. He takes it with him when he leaves again, in the hope that sooner, rather than later, he can put his friend into it.


	5. Sam

The first time Sam really notices the red coat, Steve is freaking out like whoa, and Sam doesn't really know what to do. So maybe the coat isn't his first priority.

But then Steve gets his shit together, and hangs up his bomber before moving into the kitchen. So maybe Sam kind of forgets to hang his own, because what the hell was that?!

Steve doesn't answer him. Just tells him not worry. And really? _Really_ Steve?!

But later Sam catches Steve penning something into the tag of the navy one. He didn't however, see Steve slip a note into the pocket of the red coat.

And every day while they're still in the tower, before they leave for their run, Steve will lightly touch the navy blue peacoat, before going about his day. Its only after the third time he and Steve get back from their torture/run, that he sees the name 'Barnes' written onto the size tag in Steve's handwriting.

If Sam starts hanging up his own black, four-pocketed leather motorcycle jacket, he's sure it has nothing to do with the red coat, just the blue one; he'll figure out later how wrong he is. Sam doesn't say anything when Steve detours to pick up the navy coat before they leave on the next mission to find Bucky.


	6. Clint

Clint's eyes catch on the brilliant red trench as he crawls through the ventilation, he knows who owns the jacket. He's seen her in it before, even if it was a couple years back.

It's alone currently, aside from the blue men's peacoat that he's never seen anyone wear. Though nowadays, one can normally count on finding about six assorted jackets and coats on the rack, at least during the evening and when everyone is in the tower.

A mischievous grin colors his cheeks as he silently removes the vent cover and lowers himself to the ground. A quick glance to make sure no one is coming from either way, he makes to grab the coat. Prank time!

An unamused throat clears from newly opened elevator doors.

Clint looks up startled, and sheepishly pulls his hand back at the raised eyebrow on the Captain's face. Nat needs to stop teaching people things. Captain Steve America-Rogers walks over to the coat rack, barefoot in sweats and a wife beater, and hangs up his own bomber to cover her trench. Cap'n tight pants levels him with an unimpressed look, which, actually pretty intimidating up close and personal, before stepping back into the elevator.

Clint pouts as the elevator travels up to the man's room, resolved that the next prank war will have to wait until Steve leaves again, before going back up into his vents to sulk. That night, Clint's purple and black leather trench coat appears on the coat rack.


	7. Sam 2

The next time Sam sees the red coat, it's thrown over the back of Steve's chair in his apartment in the tower. The shower is running, he can hear it.

There are red soled shoes under the coffee table, and a dress made for a woman stacked with curves laying crumpled on the floor. The dress is blue, the coat is red, and Sam wonders for a minute if the underthings were white. And sure enough, white stockings with a red seam are at the back of the couch when he walks past.

Sam grins, very _patriotic_.

Also, he will not be sitting on that couch anytime soon. Which, _bummer_. Odd though, as Sam had seriously thought the only hard on Steve could get was for Bucky, but's that's a different, highly embarrassing, story.

Steve comes out of the kitchen dressed in only baggy sweat pants, and pauses. For a moment, Sam feels slightly inadequate when looking at just how built the blonde is, but then he remembers Steve's a shit, and that he's the only sane person in this tower. So it evens out.

Steve's eyes flick over the very visible evidence of his late night activities, and then shrugs with a shit-eating grin. Sam has to ask if they are still on for their run, because he sure as hell wouldn't be if he were in Steve's position. But alas, mystery lady has work, so Steve might as well spend a couple hours looking at his ugly mug.

Sam waits as Steve pops into the bathroom, and has to restrain himself from running to the rescue when Steve yells out a slew of curses. When Steve comes back a couple minutes later, he's grinning like a loon and his entire head, and most of his torso and arms are wet. Also, there's a very visible, very small wet handprint on the front of his sweatpants, and the man's mouth is swollen from what was obviously an epic makeout session.

Steve throws on a shirt, uncaring of the water. And though Sam tries to needle Steve into sticking around so he can meet his friend's girl, it's a hard no. When that fails, he offers to leave so Steve can maybe convince her for another round. Steve laughs darkly, catching on to Sam's real motive. Steve shakes his head and hauls him out the door for Sam's daily dose of tort- err, running.


	8. Bruce

The first time Bruce sees the red trench coat, he has to close his eyes, because it's so bright. Almost painfully bright.

Perhaps it wouldn't be, if he didn't have the migraine for the ages. He sighs, wondering who in their right mind owns such a… bold article of clothing.

Surely not Natasha or Pepper? Natasha liked to blend in too much, at least in everyday circumstance; she only dressed to impress when she wanted people to pay more attention to her body, than to what she was doing or saying. And Pepper had certainly never seemed the type in all the time he'd known her, or as intimately as he'd known her. She certainly hadn't worn anything like it when she and Tony had tracked him back down in India after a small falling out, both asking him to please come back home to the tower… and their bed.

Darcy comes into the lab with a whirlwind of laughter and well-meant force feeding later in the day. Jane, previously unfamiliar to him, though apparently Thor's significant other, and Tony distractedly accept her offerings readily. So absorbed are they in their work, that they are practically eating out of the woman's hands; or in Jane's case, actually eating the pop-tart and sandwich combo from the woman's cautious fingers. Darcy is quite happy he can eat and work without threatening to chomp said digits off.

Bruce can understand the coat now.

He smiles tiredly and complies when she has him hang his lab coat up on the coatrack, gratefully taking the soothing chamomile tea she offers him. She takes two coffees and goes up to the residential floors, which is odd, he thinks, because Jane is still in the lab. Not his business though. Bruce just wants to fall into bed and cuddle with Tony, he does have an open invitation after all. Besides, Darcy's a big girl, she can take care of herself.


	9. Natasha

When Natasha first sees the red coat, she merely blinks at it. And though she wonders who could wear such a bright color, she doesn't give it too much thought. Whoever she is though, she must be very confident. Also, fairly good at sewing, if the custom darting around the bust and the inches of the waist taken in is any measure. Not unsurprising if her proportions are as such.

She does carefully ask JARVIS if the owner does have access to all floors, and after learning that yes, she does, Natasha takes a few days to study the Lewis girl. Though, she doesn't worry about doing a thorough background check. Oddly, she muses to herself, she actually trusts Tony with that much. She immediately takes a long mission away to deal with that self realization.

She keeps her chocolate brown leather jacket on.

Eight months later, having extensively worked with JARVIS on security by now, she hangs two of her jackets up on the coat rack: her chocolate leather jacket and her preferred plainclothes brown and black baggy striped hooded jacket.


	10. Thor

When Thor first sees her bright red trench coat after he lands back in London, he grins, noting the other coats, and happily hangs his cape onto an available hook. It gets taken back off the hook fairly quickly, though not always to be worn.

Occasionally, when he's on world, Thor's cape can be seen hanging on one of the hooks, and later Tony's gaudy coatrack. Occasionally, Thor will wear it when doing the whole, Avenging, thing. But mostly it's a security blanket, wrapped around two young women's shoulders. Thor smiles softly when assuring them he can always get a new cape.

He did.

Later, after he's been off world for a very long time, only one of the women still wrap themselves up in the cape, and only ever when she's alone, behind locked doors, and far away from one Dr. Foster or her own boyfriend. He gets adorably jealous when she cuddles with the other heroes' stuff.


	11. Wanda

Wanda just sneers when she first sees the coatrack, and it's numerous coats and jackets. Her eyes are immediately drawn to the bright red trench coat. She likes it.

She finds herself hugging her knee length patchwork sweater coat that Pietro had sewn for her, containing pieces of both his and their parents old sweaters, closer to her body.

Piet's running jacket is in her bag, still riddled with the bullet holes that had slain him.

Neither of them are hung upon the coatrack.

Later at the Avengers Compound upstate, she has an open red tailcoat hanging on a coat hook in between missions. She loves it. She even thanks Stark for it, though she still has lingering issues regarding him.

Sometimes, she wishes she'd hung up both of their coats before it was too late.


	12. Vision

Vision never sees the bright red trench coat.

What he does see, is the effects it had.

It's a year after what people are calling the Avengers Civil War. There's some new and greater danger coming, they all know it. Thor has returned with Bruce Banner, Loki, Heimdall, and someone he calls a Valkyrie. He says more allies are on their way.

Oddly, these four step easily into the mediating role he normally despised. Not that too many people are arguing. They have bigger problems to be considering now.

But Vision notes bemusedly, how each and every person, even after all this fighting, leaves every argument and hurt at the door, and hangs up coat after coat. It says more about how each of these people grew to be a family, than the fact that they are even here.

Tony's is the only coat there originally, it's his home they are meeting in. A simple black motorcycle jacket.

Next is a chocolate brown leather jacket.

Then is a black and purple leather trench coat.

A bright red open front women's tailcoat.

A crimson red cape, a royal blue cape, a forest green cape, a roughly woven cloak, and a black suit jacket all in quick succession.

The rapid slapping of bare feet alerts them all to young woman, wrapped in a bright scarlet cape, who launches herself at Thor with a tearful cry. He was evidently already prepared, and caught her up hug, holding her closely as he whispered to her and she cried into his neck.

There's another knock at the door and it opens automatically thanks to Friday. The woman looks up, and surely everyone is now entirely shocked senseless as she once again launches herself at someone, this time he too is reaching for her.

The Captain kisses her fierce and demanding, and yet holds her carefully, like she's most precious things in existence. She pulls back from the Captain, still no one else has said a word, and looks to the Sergeant.

"Oh, I did get your size right?" She inquired as she slides down the Captain's body, and touches the lapel of his coat gently. The wide eyed Sergeant nods, and she smiles, pulling him down by his collar and kissing the corner of his mouth. "Good. I'm glad you're getting better."

She turns to Sam and pulls him down too, and kisses his cheek, "thanks for sticking with these two idgits."

He nods.

The three men and the king behind them all hang up their jackets.

A worn brown leather bomber.

A navy, wool, double breasted, peacoat. The left sleeve is pinned up. Though Vision can hear quite clearly that Sergeant Barnes is very uncomfortable leaving his other arm in the vehicle.

A black motorcycle jacket with four large pockets down the front.

A sleeveless, purple, knee-length, high-collared vest with intricate embroidery.

The woman glances at the Captain, "so I uh, might've kept something very, extremely important from you. But well in my defense, Bucky needed you more than I did. I am very sorry though."

The two men share a confused glance. And Tony scoffs.

"Bull fucking shit Lewis, you could have, and almost had, died because you and Pepper kept your precious secrets."

Those with the capability hear the steady 'tackett' sound of high hells on the front porch turned toward the already opening door. Though the Captain and Thor were too busy searching the woman for any visible cues that she was still hurt.

The door was open before Tony even finished speaking, revealing Virginia Potts with, not one, not two, but three children.

Precious secrets indeed.

One was blonde, a young girl walking beside Virginia Potts with violet-blue eyes.

Two were dark haired. A young boy, walking on the elegant women's other side with green-blue haze eyes, while Pepper held the third: a slightly smaller baby girl.

Pepper rolled her eyes and the two slightly older children toddled quickly to Lewis, screeching happily at seeing their 'Mommy' again. And then they freeze, looking up, and grin two terrible twin smiles that threaten to wreak all havoc on the world. They climb up the Captain likes he's a particularly fun jungle gym, and proceed to cling to him. Their smiles turn softer, tearful now, each squeezing the Captain and crying at their 'Daddy'. They were so happy he was home, can he not leave again?

"She told me Tony. And I took care of it." Ms. Potts said sternly. Pepper handed Lewis the youngest of the three children, and hung up her light cream trench coat.

The Captain stared down at Lewis and the two children in his arms as Lewis handed the third back to Pepper.

"But here's the catch, neither of you had to do anything alone, and you too, kept a secret from me Pep. Both of you disappearing without a word, I was so worried about you." Tony accused softly, picking up and gently cuddling the little baby girl in his arms. He smiled when she opened her eyes grumpily, and then returned to him that same beatific smile, giving him a soft 'Da'. Pepper Potts apologized wordlessly with a kiss to his cheek.

"I am so, so mad at you. Seething…" The Captain muttered darkly, before kissing Darcy Lewis again.

She smiled brightly, though it wilted at the edges as she stroked the soft hair on her children's heads. "I know, you can yell at me later. We missed you. We're happy you're all home."

She nods at the other two men. And then she turned abruptly, pointing an accusing finger at Vision, "you!" She barked. Completely startled, he automatically moved back a step, only to realize he had instinctively began floating away from the suddenly dangerous woman at her sharp tone. Well that wasn't embarrassing… at all.

"Me?" He pointed to himself just to make sure.

She rolled her eyes, "yes you. Cape, on the hanger, now."

Everyone's gaze flashes over to him, and more than one is smiling with mirth in their eyes, not at just him assuredly, but also the sheer audacity of the woman.

"What about your cape?"

And she scoffs. "Young android, this is a blanket, it has been so for years. Not a cape. Now move it, we can't start until everyone is ready to chit chat. And personally, though I don't know about you, I have at least one super soldier to sex up relatively snappish." Said soldiers choked and turned to stare gawkingly at her. And on that note…

Slowly, he set himself back down on his feet and walked over to the coatrack, hanging his yellow cape up on the hook. She gives him a brilliant smile. He gamely ignores the few persons chuckling.

Only then does everyone begin sitting down on the numerous couches Tony Stark has set up as a conference area.

The Captain sits between his two best friends and his girlfriend on his lap, the two children are asleep with their faces tucked into his neck, and do not let go of him.

Clinton sits on the floor at Natasha's feet.

Wanda sits in his own lap.

Thor and his compatriots stand guarded and ready.

Pepper Potts first delivers a fiery kiss to Bruce Banner and pulls him into both her and Tony's arms. And though he is thoroughly and understandably shocked by the circumstance, Banner gladly kisses them both after his long absence, and traces a delicate and reverent finger over their daughter's cheek.

And though alone, for his body guards are with the vehicle, King T'challa's stance is no less powerful.

"Wait!" The young woman clapped suddenly, before standing up suddenly and grabbing Sam Wilson's hand. She doggedly drags the older man over to Natasha Romanoff, and seats him almost halfway on the red haired woman's lap. She pats him on the head in a bid to make him stay put, and skips back over to the two soldiers she has claimed, crawling over and plopping herself into the Sergeant's lap with her legs thrown over the Captain's. The Sergeant's flesh arm came up immediately to steady her, grasping around her waist carefully.

She nods decisively, and in a disproportionately cheery voice states, "Now you can get to figuring out how to save the entire universe."


End file.
